The present invention relates to an image processing device, an image processing method, a program, and the like.
A medical instrument (e.g., endoscope apparatus) that is inserted into a body cavity (e.g., digestive tract), and used for diagnosis, medical treatment, and the like has been known. When performing examination or an operation on a tissue using such a medical instrument, the operator presumes the position of the currently observed site taking account of the known positional relationship between each site (organs and tissues) inside the body. Technology that displays the in vivo position of an endoscope apparatus during examination or an operation in order to support the examination or operation has been proposed.
For example, JP-A-2006-149481 discloses technology that detects the position of the end of an ultrasonic endoscope, and displays a guide image that corresponds to the in vivo position of the ultrasonic endoscope.
JP-A-2006-149481 provides a sample point position detection means that detects the position of a sample point of a tissue, and compares the position of the sample point detected by the sample point position detection means with the position of a feature point on reference image data stored in an image information storage means when creating the guide image. JP-A-2006-149481 also provides a posture detection means that detects the position or the posture of a tissue, and is fitted on a subject. The guide image is created while correcting a change in posture of the subject by correcting the position of the sample point detected by the sample point position detection means based on the position or the direction of the subject detected by the posture detection means.